Broken bones in young dogs

Merc is a beautiful 5 month old kelpie cross puppy. Being so young she thoroughly enjoys energetic playtime in the backyard. One days she leapt over the garden hose. After that she could not put her back paw on the ground.

The vets on duty took one look at her and immediately provided her some pain relief and sedation. This was to make her feel relaxed and comfortable.   The next step was to find out what had happened to her leg. The veterinarians took a couple of  x-rays to understand what was causing the pain and discomfort. Unfortunately,  she had snapped through the tibia and fibula. Poor puppy, such a bad day for a young dog. The vets recommendation was for emergency surgery to plate the bones together and give them a chance to heal and recover.

During surgery, the vet surgeon reattached the tibia with a small metal plate and 6 bone screws. The smaller bone did not have any plate attache. It was realigned and left for nature to take its course.  Merc awoke after the surgery and left the hospital the next day.

After the surgery Merc wore a splint for 4 weeks.  The surgeon also saw her for her weekly recheck appointments to check her healing was progressing.  Her recovery was excellent and after 4 weeks she was given a clear bill of health. Merc gradually increased her exercising and still enjoys playing in the back yard.